Westbound Caravan
by Ashurri1443
Summary: Have you ever had the feeling that when you try to avoid something, it eventually finds you? Nao smirked and stared at the priest and his agitated expression. Apparently she had struck a nerve and a deal was made. Whether he liked it or not.
1. A problem the size of a mountain

Sanzo could practically feel a migraine begin to gnaw at the back of his head. From the first day they arrived in this village the townspeople had been showing up at their hotel and even their tables when they were eating dinner. They were giving him and the others praise for their fine job of protecting the village from youkai attacks and now they were asking him for solutions to the simplest problems. One elderly woman even came to him pleading for him to use his 'priestly powers' to cure her of arthritis. There was only so much he could take, but now an even bigger irritation stood in his way, and it was as big as a mountain. Literally. He scanned the map laid out before him and desperately tried to find another pathway to get around the mountain that was blocking their path but with no avail. He twisted and desperately turned the map in his hands before placing it back in the hands of Hakkai and turning to his cigarettes. He sighed in irritation and glanced at Hakkai who scrutinized the map once more. Meanwhile a small argument was breaking out between Goku and Gojyo over the last plate of yakisoba. He resisted the urge to whip out his pistol as Hakkai hushed them and their volume to a minimum.

"Quiet you two, let me here myself think for a moment." He urged, while tracing his finger on the routes surrounding the village and their destination.

"Give it a rest Hakkai, there is no way around that mountain. Even if we used these two idiots as a battering ram to break it down it would still propose a problem." Sanzo lit a cigarette and closed his eyes before taking a long drag. It would take days to actually find a route to get around that massive landmass, and time was something they didn't have. Not to mention the complaining and bickering that would follow.

"Well maybe a certain monkey shouldn't have whined Hakkai into turning into the village for some food." Sanzo felt an eyebrow twitch, as Gojyo instigated the problem once again. Goku was quick to react and then began to shout at him.

"Me? What about you?" He paused and then mimicked the kappa in an annoying tone. "Oh Hakkai my chicken legs, they're too long and l can't sit in this seat for two days!" Sanzo flicked some ash off of his cigarette and began to inch his hand for his Smith and Wesson. Resist the urge to kill. The two then began to get in each other's faces and throw insults back in forth, with Hakkai politely and failing to quiet them down. Sanzo had enough; he snatched his gun out of his robes and brandished it at Goku and Gojyo, an itchy trigger finger ready to pull.

"Seriously you three, we have a bigger problem here. Sanzo put away your weapon before everyone else has a heart attack!" Hakkai shouted his usually leveled calm voice breaking through the noise.

A brief cough caused the four to turn their attention to two men, aged and clearly a little buzzed. Sanzo silently concealed his weapon and turned away to smoke in solitude while Gojyo and Goku both returned to their seats. Hakkai simply smiled in greeting, "Um, sorry about the noise—"

One of the men held up their hands in defense, "No that's not it. You see we overheard your problem…"

Sanzo drowned out the conversation and concentrated on consuming his nicotine faster to ease his stress, he stared out the window and glanced over at the two villagers a couple of times during their dialogue. A woman passed the window, and met eye contact with him for a moment with her grey eyes before shuffling her groceries in her arms and quickly moving on. He narrowed his eyes and stared after her for a moment before an important piece of the conversation met his ears.

"You could go up the mountain, there is a path but it is a journey that would take at least two days and a half. However, many of the villagers haven't traveled up it since the youkai have been going berserk. The only escort I could recommend is one person, Nao. Nao has a certain type of background that would make the task of taking you four up the mountain a breeze."

Sanzo turned to the two and stubbed his cigarette out in the nearby ashtray, "Their residence. Where is it?"

"Well hold on priest, Nao is a possibility for you but I'm not too sure you want to bother someone like that. I mean, Nao has been a little bit of a loner since the recent attacks. Before the roommate died we used to let anyone escort others up the mountain, but now we have to keep our eyes open for any… madness."

"Please if you would just hear us out and tell us where this Nao is, we would be extremely grateful." Hakkai asked.

"Alright if you insist." The other man said, "Nao lives at the edge of town a few houses down pass the medical clinic. The house is so small you can't miss it." With that the two turned and made their way back to the bar.

Goku turned to Sanzo, "Why are they so cautious about this Nao guy?"

Sanzo shrugged and handed his credit card to the waitress, "Who cares."

"I care. Would if we have a serial killer leading us the damn mountain?" Gojyo asked, picturing one of those monolith guys with a hockey mask. "Leave it to Sanzo to pick a psycho." Before Sanzo could even think about shooting a bullet through Gojyo's skull Hakkai intervened.

"Come on now, do we have a choice? Would you rather have a two day trip or a five day one? Tomorrow we will set out early and get some supplies before dropping by to the house. Everyone be ready by morning."

* * *

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience dear; I couldn't make it to the clinic with this leg…" The elderly woman said, pleading for forgiveness and watching the young woman before her gently wrap her sprained ankle. She had been taking a stroll in the forest just beyond the village when she took a nasty fall, and seeing how she had terrible joint pain already she couldn't even find the energy to stand up. "You even carried me to your home, such a sweet child."

The young woman she was speaking to stopped supporting the ankle and looked up at her with a smile, then pushed a lock of dusty pink hair behind her ear before looking back down to her handy work. "Not a problem, but you do need to be more careful out in the forest with the youkai attacks and all. What were you even doing out there?"

The elderly woman took a moment to recollect and then pounded her fist in her other open hand, "I was trying to find some nice fresh medical herbs to give to the Sanzo party. They're here you know, I would have never thought that a priest as great as the priest Sanzo would make a stop in our town during my lifetime. The villagers and I are ecstatic. Have you heard about them Urasaki-chan?" Urasaki nodded in reply and finished the wrapping before standing and heading to the cabinets to find some soothing ointment. "You should stop by to see them sometime dear, they really are something. Such young boys doing something so noble. If only my son could do something that great with his life."

"I think I'll be fine whether I meet them or not, but yes, they are doing something… worthwhile." Urasaki responded while reaching in the back of the cabinet to retrieve the medicine, she took out the small container and checked the expiration date before going to hand it to the elderly woman. "Whenever you go to bed rub this on your ankle, it will ease the pain until it is properly healed."

"And so handsome too!" Urasaki exhaled a short breath and shook her head in amusement, pressing the container into her hands. She would be rambling for a few minutes and Urasaki was just fine with the little company. She rarely got any these days; she glanced around her small home and noticed how small it was with the added person in the room. The kitchen and living room were compact, a small kotatsu table in the middle of the room. The bedroom and bathroom were in two separate rooms but both equally small in measure as well. She was knocked out of her thoughts from a small knock at the door.

"Excuse me." She said, oblivious to the fact that the elderly woman didn't hear a word. She cautiously walked over to the door and cracked it, seeing four young men on her doorstep. "Can I help you?" she asked her tone low.

"Hakkai." The blonde said simply before taking a drag out of his cigarette.

"Certainly. Hello, we were wondering if we could speak to Nao. We were told that he lives here." A dark brunette man asked while stepping forward. She stared at them blankly and examined them all while processing his remark. He lives here?

"But we wouldn't mind speaking with you either doll face." Said a man, almost equal in height with the brunette and an uncommon crimson shade of eyes and hair to match his strange group. She opened the door a little bit more.

"Well you're going to have to anyway, I'm Nao. Now what do you four want?


	2. Weighing your options

"You're Nao? I apologize for the surprise; they didn't inform us that you were a woman. The men in town told us that you would be the proper escort up the mountain." The brunette pointed over the trees to the large bulk of rock that was surrounded by most of the forest. He gave an apologetic smile and Nao slowly started to come from out the threshold.

Nao excused herself from the elderly woman and stepped out of her home, closing the door silently behind her and keeping a hand on the doorknob. The four stared at her flabbergasted except for the blonde priest and the polite brunette that had asked the questions in the first place. She hated when the villagers recommended her for the most painstaking tasks. She knew the mountain like the back of her hand but that didn't mean she had time to escort every traveler up it. Then again it was a nice way to earn a little more cash in her pocket than usual. Four people, two day travel, minus the pit stops for food and rest would be a hefty sum. She stared at the sky and then toward the mountain that stood in the distance. Nao looked at the brunette; his clothes were centered on green and dark colors in the simple ethnic Chinese style. He had an angled masculine face with vibrant green eyes and a monocle covering his right.

"Nao, short for Naomi Urasaki. It can be a common mishap if the one you are speaking to makes it sound that way. I haven't ventured up the mountain since two years ago, nor has anyone else. What would possibly possess you four to go up there? There are youkai and I can't promise that you will all make it up there unscathed." She responded, glancing to the priest. Behind that unusual blonde hair and violet color eyes rested an even more unusual person, a smoking priest with an uncanny expression of indifference toward everything and anything. She was no researcher on holy monks but there was definitely something wrong to the picture. He glanced at her and she quickly averted her eyes.

"Well, we would but the villagers say that a lot of people get sorta lost up there with all the fake trails. So we kinda thought you would help us?" Asked the youngest of the four. He looked like he was in his teens, short and lean with a face full of energy. A golden, headband looking accessory covered his forehead and light tousled hair sticking up and framing his face.

"Besides, we know our way around a weapon or two. We'll be fine." The crimson haired man said reassuringly. His eyes matched his hair in a scarlet hue and upon his cheek lay two thin scars. He was tall, long legged and wore a simple outfit that basically screamed rough around the edges with his black pants and brown leather jacket.

Naomi raised an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest, silently thinking for a moment. Her eyes trailed to the priest again, most notably the scroll that rested upon his shoulders. He was high ranking. Her heart stopped, if only for a moment and she pivoted on her heel. "No sale, find your way up on your own." She cracked the door once more and stepped inside, turning to face the four.

"But… but why lady? C'mon Hakkai said there was no other way!" The young boy asked. Naomi shook her head and ignored the elderly woman asking what was going on from behind her.

"Look, there has to be another way. There are plenty enough villagers that have come up the mountain before. I am sorry but I cannot take you." Naomi slowly began to close the door when a shoe slipped across the threshold and blocked the entry way, preventing it from closing completely. She looked up to see the brunette staring at her with a worrisome expression.

"We won't make you do something you don't want to do, but please ma'am, take it into consideration. Sleep on it. We could find another way or go around the mountain but that would take days we simply do not have time for. The two men assured us you would be our escort and that you would be perfect for the job." He implored. She nodded and he removed his foot.

"I will but I'm not making any guarantees. Come back tomorrow around noon… Goodbye." And with that she finally closed the door, leaning against it and placing two fingers on the bridge of her nose before pinching the skin stressfully. The elderly woman sat with a puzzled expression but Naomi did not dare move until she heard their footfall lead away from her home.

"Who was that dear?"

The Sanzo party. "Some travelers wishing for my assistance up the mountain." She said truthfully, deciding to keep that last important detail to herself. "They will just have to be disappointed." The elderly woman clicked her tongue and stood on her own. She wobbled a bit and then attentively took a few limping steps forward. Naomi grabbed an old wooden cane that rested near the door and gave it to her. She grasped it firmly and then stood up a bit sturdier.

"It's not polite to disappoint people dear." The elderly woman took a few more paces forward and placed a wrinkled yet soft hand on Naomi's cheek, and lightly patted it "I know it has been two years and a lot has changed, but never let that prevent you from moving forward. Weigh your options carefully before you leap, you will either end up with a weak sprained ankle or one that is supported and well-cared for. It is a decision that you must make and a choice you must come to terms with Urasaki-chan."

Naomi could barely manage to find her voice as she nodded and whispered the word, "Ok." The elderly woman bowed appreciatively and then started to limp her way slowly out of the house, saying she would return in a few weeks to check up on her. She then stood in solitude once again, the lonesome quiet beginning to set in her home once more. Naomi took a deep cleansing breath and then pulled her right arm to her chest, the left hand cradling the wrist comfortingly. She gazed down at her fingers and curled inwards toward the palm. The light from the lamp above reflecting off the two silver rings encircling her middle and index fingers. "Weigh my options carefully…"

* * *

Hakkai sighed and handed another plate for Goku to dry before submerging his hands into soapy warm water once more. They're resolution to a large problem had been yet another setback. He hoped she would stick to her word and consider them but these days most people wanted to stay far from the outside world due to the recent youkai attacks. They could do nothing but wait and maybe prepare to stock up for a five day trip around the mountain meaning they would have to camp out a far lot more than they had hoped. Not to mention a struggling trip for Hakuryuu to drive through the forest. Sanzo was now in a foul mood and had retired early, earning an old man crack from Gojyo and a broken vase that they would have to pay for along with the fee for the room. Goku scrubbed vigorously at the plate and Hakkai averted his attention toward him.

"Man now Sanzo's gonna be pissy for a few days, aint he Hakkai?" Goku asked glancing up at him. Hakkai nodded but then gave a little bit of an amused smile.

"Possibly but we thought that we were going to have an easy trip out of the village so it's understandable why he is so upset. He will get over it eventually just try not to pick any fights with Gojyo and he will be fine." Hakkai responded thinking back to the woman from earlier. He had tried to piece together anything that could have made her quick to refusing to help them. She lived alone because apparently her roommate had died, and the two men were right the house was not hard to miss because of its small size. Sanzo had remarked when they returned that it was probably best that she did not travel with them but he was still frustrated that their plans were shattered once again. He could not understand why though. She seemed decent enough. She stood tall and appeared young, maybe even around his age even but her hair color was a different shade from normal. A dusty pink color, while her eyes a monochrome grey. He could rule out the fact that she was a child of taboo or anything out of the ordinary.

"What'cha think bothered that lady Hakkai?" Goku asked, placing the last plate on the rack. Apparently he was bothered by it to. "I mean she seemed nice and all but she just didn't want to help us out, it seemed like something scared her. Maybe it was Gojyo since he's a little bit of a creep."

"I heard that you short pathetic monkey, I'm not a creep!" Gojyo yelled from the living room in defense. "Maybe she didn't want to lug your annoying ass around." Hakkai glanced at Goku before he could retort back in a frenzy and create a chain reaction of arguments, noise, and eventually gun fire.

"I'm not sure Goku; I'll clean up the rest. Try not to make too much noise in the living room." Goku nodded and grinned widely before running off, shouting at Gojyo to hand over the television remote and that it was his turn to watch. Hakkai took a towel and began to dry his hands when a light pressure landed on his shoulder. He turned his head to see Hakuryuu, who tilted his head and chirped softly before nuzzling the side of his face. "Hello Hakuryuu, I'm sorry we couldn't take you with us this morning but tomorrow we're heading out. So let's get nice and rested tonight." The small white dragon simply nodded his head before chirping happily once more.

* * *

**Author's Note: So I am back again with another Saiyuki story, it has occured to me that I probably will not be able to start the other part of my old Saiyuki story "call me crazy" because my basis for the main characters have either a:drifted apart from me or b: I rarely hear from them, and the pure fact that it is obvious that my writing style has changed since I started it. So to my watchers on here that liked the first saiyuki story I give you another with a totally original character not based off anyone but my pure imagination. I am actually overall satisfied with this story as well. The other one yes I am proud of because not only because a lot of you helped my confidence in writing but because it did win title of one of the stories of the year on here. Thank you so much for you're love and support and I hope that this new story will bring you back for more once again! Kazuya Minekura owns Saiyuki and its characters, I get no profit from any of these chapters and my original character Naomi is mine. Thank you and happy holidays! 3**


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